 In this piece Reeve argues for his view of the passion of Christ, and explains how God suffered in it. Appended is a short essay by Muggleton, explaining his view of the fall and of the mortality of the soul. The text of the lacking pp. 7–8 is supplied on three leaves in manuscript in a pretty and clear 18th-century hand. Opinion seems evenly divided as to whether this piece was published in 1670 or 1719.

 Rushworth (1612?–90), a partisan of Cromwell and Parliament, compiled one of the most famous and still sought-after assemblages of documents on the history of England during the early Stuart period and the Civil War era. Biased though it be, the work is a major source for historians, both amateur and professional, and for students of English law.

For the latter, in addition to the obvious parliamentary proceedings, there is the noteworthy inclusion at the end of vol. III of the “Star Chamber Reports” that compose the appendix, and the devotion of all of vol. VIII to the trial of Thomas, Earl of Stratford; the set in hand has the issue of vol. I having no map but two plates, both present.

As our caption notes, this vast repository purports to have been made as “a bare narrative” of its “fact[s]”; but it now resonates with a richness far beyond mere chronicle. It repays both extended and “dip-in” reading for pleasure.

 Wing (rev. ed.) R2316, R2318–19, & R2333; Lowndes 2152. Recent half speckled calf, old style; marbled paper sides; round spines, raised bands, gilt center devices in spine compartments, bands accented with gilt beading. Binding signed by Starr Bookworks. General gentle age-toning, with some pages and sections browned due to nature of paper, including some plates; intermittently recurring instances of old waterstaining, sometimes with some cockling and most notable in vol. VI, there affecting the fold-out plate of the “Battail of Naseby”; minor worming in upper margins also of vol. VI (not anywhere close to text), and a short closed tear. Occasional foxing and other spotting, variously; occasional early marginalia. Old library pressure- (not perforation-) stamps in some blank margins, with light shelfmark pencilling to title-page versos and a number slenderly inked in each volume to lower margin of first text page. A strong, satisfactory, very nice antiquarian set. (22477)

AnInnocentMan Executed — His Speech, His “Paper”

Russell, William. The speech of the late Lord Russel, to the sheriffs: Together with the paper deliver’d by him to them, at the place of execution, on July 21. 1683. [colophon: London: John Darby (by direction of the Lady Russel), 1683]. Folio (30.2 cm, 11.9"). 4 pp.$350.00

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 Nicknamed “the Patriot,” Lord William Russell should have been called “the Unlucky”; he was executed for his alleged role in the Rye House Plot of 1683,although “no reason exists for supposing [him] to have been cognisant of the desperate scheme for the assassination of the king and the Duke of York,” according to the DNB. Here the condemned man sets down on paper “all that I think fit to leave behind me,” which is an assertion of his innocence and his anti-Catholic beliefs.

 ESTC R36940; Wing (rev.) R2356A. On Russell, see: The Dictionary of National Biography. Unbound, spine delicately reinforced. Pages age-toned and creased, with a few tiny pinpoint holes. Tissue repair to tear from inner margin extending across both leaves, touching but not obscuring a few letters. P. 2 with numerals in an early inked hand in the outer margin. (14472)

 John Sergeant (16221707) converted to Catholicism from the Church of England after researching the history of the early Church. He was ordained to the priesthood and undertook a career as a controversialist against Protestantism, writing many works. This one is a Catholic answer to Henry Hammond's (160560) Of Schisme, and John Bramhall's (15941663) Just Vindication of the Church of England from the Unjust Aspersion of Criminal Schism. Hammond and Bramhall were leading Anglican divines of the high-church party, and in attacking them Sergeant reveals the influence that that party still commanded, even at its lowest ebb under Cromwell. His argument is largely a defense of the Papacy against those who would assert the historical independence of the Church of England. This is the sole edition of this important Recusant work.

This is a volume that shows such controvery was definitely not “dry”; we have photographed the start of Sergeant's explanation/defense of his personal animus against his antagonist, and also the “Stationer's” description of the polemical feast to come, this worked out as a menu or “Bill of Fare”!

Provenance: On the recto of the second front fly-leaf is a presentation inscription: “For my honnord & best frind, Master John Bulteel.” The most likely John Bulteel is the one who was created M.A. at Oxford in 1661, and later served as secretary to Edward, Earl of Clarendon.

 Wing S2589; ESTC R6168; Clancy, English Catholic Books, 16411700, 897. On Sergeant, see: The Dictionary of National Biography, LI, 25153. On Bramhall, see: DNB, VI, 203206. On Hammond, see: DNB, XXIV, 24246. Contemporary mottled calf, with remnants of modest double gilt rules on covers; rubbed and joints open, front cover detached. Browning from turn-ins on fly-leaves, last leaves, and fore-edge of title-page, as well as moderately to a few signatures, with a little occasional light waterstaining; otherwise, the expectable degrees of age-toning and spotting only. (7067)

Sherlock, William. The present state of the Socinian controversy, and the doctrine of the Catholick fathers concerning a trinity in unity. London: William Rogers, 1698. 4to (20.5 cm, 8.1"). [12], 388 pp.$575.00

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 Sole pre-20th-century edition of this important entry in the first Socinian controversy in the Church of England, from a learned divine noted for his pugnaciousness in print. The author's earlier Vindication of the Doctrine of the Holy and Ever Blessed Trinity, intended as an attack on Socianism, had led to accusations of tritheism and heresy; here he defends more orthodox doctrine on the subject. The main text is in English, with extensive shouldernotes in Latin and Greek.

 ESTC R8272; Wing (rev. ed.) S3325. Contemporary speckled calf, panelled with corner fleurons in blind, rebacked in similar calf, spine with gilt-stamped leather title-label and blind-tooled compartment decorations; sides acid-pitted, edges rubbed. All edges speckled red. Lower margin of title-page and lower (closed) edges institutionally rubber-stamped, no other markings. First few leaves foxed with scattered light spots elsewhere, last few signatures browned; one leaf with two small portions lost from outer margin; one outer corner torn away; one leaf torn across between header and text without any of this affecting text. A solid, tight, and dignified-looking copy. (35824)

AnATMOSPHERIC Title-Page . . .

Sherlock, William. A sermon preached at the funeral of the Reverend Benj. Calamy D.D. and late minister of St. Lawrence Jewry, London, Jan. 7th 1685[/]6. London: John Amery & William Rogers, 1686. 4to. [6], 34 pp.$65.00

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 A sermon preached in commemoration of the Rev. Benjamin Calamy, prebendary of St. Paul's. This is the first state as described by ESTC, with the 5 and 6 of the publication date printed in fractional style on the title-page, which also has a broad mourning border and an imprint line of the good old kind — “Printed for John Amery at the Peacock, and William Rogers at the Sun; both against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet.”

Sherlock, William. A sermon preached at the Temple-Church, May 29. 1692. And printed at the desire of the Bench-Table of the honourable Society of the Inner-Temple. London: Printed for Will. Rogers, at the Sun over-against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet, 1692. Small 4to. 32 pp.$50.00

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 Sherlock was Dean of St. Paul's, Master of the Temple, and “Chaplain in Ordinary to their Majesties” when he preached this one. George Hickes was not pleased by things he said in this sermon and responded immediately with his “A vindication of some among our selves against the false principles of Dr. Sherlock. In a letter to the doctor, occasioned by the sermon which he preached at the Temple-Church, on the 29th of May, 1692.”

Sherwin, William. [One line of Greek, romanized as] Logos peri logou; or the vvord vvritten, concerning the vvord everliving, viz. As touching his glorious kingly office on Earth to come. Witnessing, that Christ Jesus shall have a visible glorious kingdome in the world, consisting of the converted Jews and Gentiles in one sheep-fold under him; of the quick in this life, and raised saints in the time of his said glorious kingdome, and of the highest angels worshipping him, and of inferiour creatures bowing the knee unto him. Confirmed by many demonstrative arguments from the holy scriptures, and many divine reasons strongly evincing the same truths. London: Printed for Francis Smith, and are to be sold at the Elephant and Castle, without Temple-Bar, [1670]. 4to. [5], 32 (i.e., 31) pp.$65.00

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 Original edition, not a modern reprint. Text of title-page surrounded by a ruled border, and containing some words in Greek and Hebrew. Text incorporates some ornamental initials and typographic headpieces.

Spencer, John. Scripture mistaken. The ground of Protestants and common plea of all new reformers against the ancient Catholicke religion of England. Many texts quite mistaken by novelists are layd open, and redressed in this treatis, by restoring them to theyr proper sense, according to which it is made manifest, that none of them are of force against the ancient Catholicke religion. Antwerpe: By Iames Meursius, 1655. 8vo (15.5 cm; 6.125"). [16], 253, 252–65, 268–369, 400–405, [9] pp. (pagination erratic; book complete).$1800.00

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 Spencer (1601–71, spelled “Spenser” on title-page; sometimes known as John Tyrwhitt) “matriculated at Christ's College, Cambridge, in 1618 and during his time in Cambridge converted to the Roman Catholic church. He joined the Society of Jesus in Watten on 14 March 1626. From the noviciate he moved to Liège to study theology in either 1628 or 1629. He was ordained priest on 18 March 1632. He completed his final year of Jesuit formation, tertianship, in Ghent in 1634" (DNB online).

From then until his death he served or worked variously as a church prefect, catechist, missionary, professor of moral theology, controversialist, and military chaplain. He lived in England and on the continent. In defending Catholicism he addresses many of the doctrinal issues and religious practices that were contentious: e.g., the worship of saints, angels, and holy images (and the making of the latter); justification by faith alone; purgatory; and the merit of good works.

The work is printed single-column, in roman with some italic, and with woodcut initials and tailpieces. It ends with an index.

 Sole edition. John Spittlehouse was a Fifth Monarchist and determined controversialist who supported Cromwell until concluding that Cromwell was not, in fact, the new Moses. Here the author uses a great many capital letters and Biblical quotations to argue in favor of the dissolution of Parliament andagainst maintaining a standing army, since the army had taken to apostasy and hypocrisy. (Spittlehouse also wrote The Army Vindicated, in their Late Dissolution of the Parliament; his postscript here notes that his position on the army had changed since the publication of that pamphlet.)

ESTC and OCLC locate only six U.S. institutional holdings of this item.

 ESTC R203631; Wing (rev. ed.) S5005. On Spittlehouse, see: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online. Later plain paper wrappers, spine reinforced with cloth tape. Title-page, first text page, and two other pages institutionally pressure-stamped; first text page with inked annotation in inner margin and numeral in lower margin. Light offsetting and spotting; first and last pages dust-soiled. (25970)

“A Rational Account ofOur Own Doctrine in Opposition to Theirs”

Stillingfleet, Edward. A rational account of the grounds of Protestant religion: being a vindication of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury's Relation of a conference, &c. from the pretended answer by T.C. London: printed for H. Mortlock at the sign of the Phoenix in St. Paul's Church-yard, and the White-Hart in Westminster-Hall, 1681. Folio (32.1 cm; 12.75"). [22], 608 pp. (lacks the licence leaf).$275.00

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 The Bishop of Worcester's defense of Protestantism, here in the second edition after the first of 1665. Stillingfleet (1635–99), a prolific writer and respected preacher, flips previously published criticisms against his church to highlight the many problems present in the Catholic church, from the concept of church infallibility to popery to purgatory.

 ESTC R10821; Wing (rev. ed.) S5625. Modern marbled paper–covered boards with gilt red leather spine labels and new endpapers, all edges marbled. Provenance and ex-library marks as above, light to moderate age-toning, occasional spotting, and variable waterstaining along edges and sometimes into gutters throughout (not reaching text); license leaf lacking, one repaired or shortly trimmed leaf, a smattering of missing corners, small holes, chipped leaves, and short marginal tears. A book that has had several adventures and is ready for more. (37215)

 First edition: Important philosophical treatise on conscience, casuistry, and Christian ethics, written by the Bishop of Down and Connor. The controversialist Taylor, crowned “the Shakespeare of divines” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, was the subject during his career of a number of accusations of crypto-popery, but the present work — the first of its kind — was designed as a “complete protestant answer to the many Roman Catholic manuals of casuistry” (according to the Oxford DNB online) and intended to provide an authoritative Anglican reference on the subject.

The portrait of the author was engraved by Pierre Lombard, while the added engraved title-page is unsigned. Each of the four books here (in two volumes) has a separate title-page; the main title-pages are printed in black and ruled in red. The text is in English, Greek, and Latin. A printed addenda slip is affixed to the final text page of vol. II, above the catalogue of books sold by Richard Royston. Leaf L6 in vol. II is a cancel (and separated).

 ESTC R20123; Wing (rev.) T324; Allibone 2348. On Taylor, see: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online. Recent quarter calf and marbled paper–covered sides, leather edges tooled in blind, spine with gilt-stamped title and volume labels and gilt-stamped decorations between raised bands. Ownership inscriptions as above. First few leaves of vol. I (including regular and added title-pages) with tiny spots of worming; slightly larger sections of same to inner margins of some subsequent leaves; a number of pages in both volumes with scattered spots of worming, touching letters but not affecting sense. Light waterstaining to outer margins of some leaves. One leaf in vol. II separated. Significant and attractive. (24889)

The One Necessity

Taylor, Jeremy. Vnum necessarium. Or, the doctrine and practice of repentance. Describing the necessities and measures of a strict, a holy, and a Christian life. And rescued from popular errors. [with his] A further explication of the doctrine of originall sin. London: James Flesher for R. Royston, 1655. 8vo (19 cm, 7.5"). A–Z8Aa–Zz8Aaa4; engr. t.-p., [46], 448, [8], 449–690 (i.e., 746), [6 (index)] pp. (pagination incorrect); 1 fold. plt.$650.00

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 Second edition of the Unum necessarium, following the first of 1653, followed by the first edition of the Further Explication. Jeremy Taylor (1613–67), a High Church divine and chaplain to Charles I, was well known as a theologian and one of the school of Caroline Divines who brilliantly systematized Anglican theology in the 17th century. The first of these present works caused him some difficulty, as some of its arguments were widely considered unorthodox and antidoctrinal; the Further Explication was Taylor’s attempt to clarify his position.

The engraved frontispiece by P. Lombart depicts Jesus in shepherd guise, and is followed by a title-page printed in red and black. An oversized, folding plate shows a contrite heart accompanied by scriptural figures and allegorical images; this is also signed, Lombart. Both works came off the press with incorrect pagination, the latter with apparent page count being thrown significantly off.

 First edition under this title of the first two parts of thisanti-Puritan history of the rivalry between the Presbyterian and Independent factions of Parliament, with early printings of the third and fourth parts. The brief introductory portion, originally titled The Mystery of the Two Juntos, was first published in 1647; after the second part (Anarchia Anglicana) appeared in the following year, Walker wassent to the Tower and died there shortly thereafter. The third (The High Court of Justice; or Cromwells New Slaughter House in England) and fourth part (History of Independency) are present here in 1651 and 1660 printings, respectively.

This variant reads “II. Bookes”on line 7 of the title-page; R4 is cancelled and not present here, as is the case in most copies. The second portion has a separate title-page printed in red and black, giving Anarchia Anglicana: Or, the History of Independency as the title and the pseudonymous Theodorus Verax as the author.

The famous double-page plate showing the felling of “The Royall Oake of Brittayne” at Cromwell's command is present in a good crisp impression, with its “Inspiratio Diabolica” just slightly shaved at the bottom.